1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sanitary devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a suspended sanitary seat or sling that may be employed indoors in restroom toilet stalls, or outdoors, for example, when camping.
2. Background and Objects of the Invention
The need to use public or common restroom facilities results in a user contacting surfaces, including toilet seats, etc., wherein the contacted surfaces may be contaminated with urine, feces, and or a variety of germ and micro organisms. In cases where such facilities must be used, it is desirable to reduce or minimize the contacting of such surfaces.
A variety of prior art devices have been proposed that are specifically provided to cover or coat several of the surfaces
A variety of prior art devices have been proposed that are specifically provided to cover or coat several of the surfaces encountered in such restrooms. Most notably, there are known in the art paper and plastic covering devices that may be employed to cover, for example, a toilet seat in a public restroom. However, these devices may not be available for user's at a respective facility, and further they may shift or tear during use. In addition, for an elderly or handicapped individual, there is often a need to brace oneself when sitting down and standing up--which means contacting other `non-covered` surfaces.
There are other devices known in the art that are specifically intended to support and enable the easy movement of elderly or invalid individuals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,568 to Fischer, provides a device that includes a complicated sling portion having at least six locations that are connected to a complicated frame and support assembly. This device although may be useful for its intended purpose, is not portable, simple, and easy to deploy (if disassembled). There are a number of other known devices and support systems available in the art that suffer from these same types of limitations.
When considering a temporary or portable bathroom type environment, such as that provided by a `portable-toilet`, or when camping in remote locations, there is a need for simple seating and or support means that may be employed to aid an individual when the need to defecate arises. In particular, it would be useful to provide a very portable, rapidly deployed, sanitary seating solution to individuals having to use public or outdoor facilities that is simple and effective. Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide new and improved suspended sanitary seats and seating arrangements having one or more of the following capabilities, features, characteristics, or advantages:
simple strap based suspended seat or seating arrangement; PA1 basic design including a main strap having a first linear portion, a curved or concaved seat portion, and a second linear portion; PA1 configured to removably mount (i.e., be temporarily fixed to) a suitable supporting structure so as to suspend the suspended seat for use in, for example, indoor and outdoor restrooms; PA1 including a transverse strap portion suitably fixed to the main strap portion to support the back of a user while seated in the suspended seat; PA1 having at least one grasping opening, or an equivalent, in at least one of the first and second portions of the main strap for grasping when sitting down and getting up from the suspended seat; PA1 may include a plurality of s-type hooks, or equivalent devices/structures, which may be arranged to mate with one or more (possibly reinforced) holes provided in each of a first end and a second end of main strap portion to enable the suspension of the suspended seat when needed for use; PA1 easily folded and stored when not in use; PA1 may be rapidly deployed when needed; and PA1 inherently low cost and simple design that is easy to manufacture.
The above listed objects, advantages, and associated novel features of the contemplated embodiments of the present invention, as well as others, will become more apparent with a careful review of the description and figures provided within this disclosure. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings and the associated description are illustrative and exemplary only, and variations are certainly possible.